This review may contain spoilers
The slow, unique kind of introspection that will intrigue some and bore others.
This drama encompasses exactly what I wrote in the title. It develops slowly, but the type of stillness that makes you feel as though you yourself are present in the scene, watching it unfold and sharing the main character's experiences and emotions with her. Involved in her quiet turmoil, her numbness, confusion, and twisting love and silent regret as it shows her past failed relationships. The naturalistic acting and quiet music do an exceptional job at creating the immersion.
A noteworthy point is the exemplary cinematography. Especially the long shots done in just one take, at one camera angle. One angle could be nearly three minutes. The lack of music overlaying created a silent ambience that made you have to sit in the emotions, no matter how uncomfortable, instead of forcing you to feel them. Almost as if you are taking a pause, like a breath of fresh air. The scenes feel so real and give the actors space to flourish, making the characters feel like real human beings.
The story is one that slowly follows the life of Ayana, a novelist, who falls in love too easily, and so she tries to be with people who she will not fall too hard for. She meets her current boyfriend Yukio in a laundromat and they bond over an awkward yet sweet exchange. As the story develops, the drama delves into Ayana's past and her failed relationships, and her development and progression to becoming a better person.
Some may write this drama off simply because it contains unconventional themes, such as cheating. Please, don't be that person and reduce this show to a single moral transgression. The drama does not glorify the infidelity. It explores the reasoning behind Ayana's actions, her emotional complexity, the unmet needs of the characters, and the fragile dynamics of the relationships they are in.
A unique, introspective, and slow Japanese drama. It's becoming one of my favourites.
A noteworthy point is the exemplary cinematography. Especially the long shots done in just one take, at one camera angle. One angle could be nearly three minutes. The lack of music overlaying created a silent ambience that made you have to sit in the emotions, no matter how uncomfortable, instead of forcing you to feel them. Almost as if you are taking a pause, like a breath of fresh air. The scenes feel so real and give the actors space to flourish, making the characters feel like real human beings.
The story is one that slowly follows the life of Ayana, a novelist, who falls in love too easily, and so she tries to be with people who she will not fall too hard for. She meets her current boyfriend Yukio in a laundromat and they bond over an awkward yet sweet exchange. As the story develops, the drama delves into Ayana's past and her failed relationships, and her development and progression to becoming a better person.
Some may write this drama off simply because it contains unconventional themes, such as cheating. Please, don't be that person and reduce this show to a single moral transgression. The drama does not glorify the infidelity. It explores the reasoning behind Ayana's actions, her emotional complexity, the unmet needs of the characters, and the fragile dynamics of the relationships they are in.
A unique, introspective, and slow Japanese drama. It's becoming one of my favourites.
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